Flushing means for centrifugal pumps



March 27, 1945. .1. c. WHITE FLUSHING MEANS FOR CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS FiledSept. 6, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTEIR JAME'5.E.WHITE A THE EY March27,1945. J. c WHITE 2,372,538

FLUSHING MEANS FOR CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS Filed Sept. 6, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet2 INVEN'T'EIR TAIYlE Ei E.WHITE Patented Mar. 27, 1945 UNlTED; STATESPATENT OFFICQ'E'Z...

James 0. White, Birmingham, Ala.

Application September 6, 1943, Serial No. 501,411

6 Claims.

This invention relates to pumps or blowers of the centrifugal, impeller,or turbine types, or other pumps or blowers which derive their pumpingor blowing action by imparting a velocity to the fluid being handled,rather than by positive displacement; such velocity being used to causeflow or to change the pressure on the intake or exhaust side of thepump, depending on whether the pump be used to create a partial vacuumor a positive pressure. My invention is particularly adapted to suchpumps when used to pump fluids which are of a gummy, waxy, or anadhesive nature, or where they are used to pump fluids containingdissolved or suspended matter of a gummy, waxy, or adhesive nature.

One object of my invention is the provision of apparatus of thecharacter designated which shall be simple and economical of design andwhich shall comprise means associated with the pump casing and adaptedto direct a cleaning fluid inwardly of the casing at various angleswhereby to clean the blades and other parts of the interior of the pumprapidly and effectively.

A further object of my invention is to provide one or more nozzlesfitting permanently into the pump casing and directed inwardly towardthe pump impeller to flushaway accumulations of solid materials whichcollect on the blades and the interior of the pump.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide a nozzle for acleaning fluid, fitted permanently into the periphery of the pump casingof an impeller type centrifugal pump, and including means to change theangle of discharge of the nozzle inwardly of the casing to flush awayaccumulations of solid materials formed on the blades and interior ofthe pump.

Difliculties have heretofore been experienced in the operation andmaintenance of pumps of the type mentioned because the fluid or mixturebeing pumped forms a film or deposit on one or more parts of the pump oron the inside of the pipes or channels directly adjacent to the pump.This film or deposit impedes the flow of fluid and may otherwise bedetrimental to the proper and efficient operation of the pump.Furthermore, the adhesive nature of these deposits prevents their beingwashed away by the circulation within the pump which is incident to itsnormal operation, or by any haphazard washing or flushing while the pumpis or is not in operation. These conditions have heretofore necessitatedthe partial or complete dismantling of such pumps in order to permitmechanical or other drastic cleaning measures to be employed for theremoval of the adhering deposits. In accordance with my invention Iprovide for the rapid and easy removal ofadhering deposits Withoutdismantling the pump or without making major adjustments in it.

My invention comprises one or more nozzles for directing jets of acleaning fluid, which may be steam, air, water, organic solvents, orother suitable fluid, so positioned with respect to the pump casing thatthe cleaning fluid may be directed toward any or all parts of theinterior of the pump on which gummy-or adhesive deposits may form. Myinvention also employs such valves, ports, and drains as may be neededto facilitate the ready removal of the foreign material after it hasbeen cut away from the surface of the pump parts. Another feature of myinvention is the provision of such valves, ports, or other means toprevent the influx of any fluid other than that employed for thespecific purpose of cutting or scouring away the foreign materialdeposited on the pump parts.

Apparatus embodying features of y invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this application in which Fig. 1is an elevational view showing a typical centrifugal pump having myinvention applied thereto, together with'the necessary valves and drainsfor using the invention most advantageously.

Fig. 2 is a View drawn to a larger scale to show in greater detail themounting of the cleaning nozzles in the pump casing.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line III-III of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing a different arrangement ofthe cleaning nozzles, the nozzles being shown in section.

Fig. 5 is an elevational view at right angles to Fl .4.

iig. 6 is a sectional View of a conventional closed impeller typecentrifugal pump having a modified form of my invention applied thereto.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line VII-VII of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a detailed sectional view of the nozzle shown in Figs. 6 and7. a

Fig. 9 is a detailed elevational view of the nozzle shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a detailed sectional view showing a further modified form ofmy invention.

Referring to the drawings, I show in Fig. 1 a typical centrifugal pumpI0 having an intake conduit l.l connected thereto and a dischargeconduit l2. A valve controls the supply of fluidto the intake conduit,and a similar valve l4 controls the discharge conduit. In the bottom ofthe pump I connect a drain conduit [6 provided with a valve I1. The pumpl shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive is intended to be representative ofany pump or blower which derives its pumping or blowing action byimparting a velocity to the fluid being handled rather than by positivedisplacement. Connected to the pump casing and directed inwardly thereofare a plurality of rows of nozzles l8, l9, and 2|, which are in turnconnected to a manifold 22 to which a conduit 23 for a suitable cleaningfluid is connected. The conduit 23 is provided with a valve 24 to closeoff communication with the interior of the pump when desired. Thenozzles l8, I9 and. 2| are directed somewhat radially inwardly of thepump casing at such angles as to direct the cleaning fluid toward thesurfaces upon which the deposits hereinbefore referred to collect. Wherefluids of a gummy, waxy, or adhesive nature are being pumped, depositsare likely to be formed on the impeller blades, indicated in dottedlines by the numeral 26. The nozzles I8, l9 and 2| shown in Figs. 2 and3 are so directed as to strike and flush away such deposits from theblades and other parts of the interior of the pump Where depositscollect.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I show a modified form of my invention adaptedparticularly for use with pumps of the open impeller type, having bladesindicated in dotted lines by the numeral 21, .to which access forthe'cleaning fluid may be had from the side; With such a pump, I mount aplurality of rowsof nozzles 28, 29and 3|, con nected to a manifold 32and supplied by a conduit 33 for a suitable cleaning fluid. It will benoted that these nozzles are directed laterally inwardly of the pump,rather than radially inwardly as in Figs. 2 and 3.

In Figs. 6 to 9 I show \a practical embodiment of my invention appliedto a conventional centrifugal'pump 3'4. The pump 34 has avolute cas ing36 and .an impeller of the closed type 3'! having blades 38.. The pumphas an inlet 39 and a discharge outlet 4| and is provided with a drainoutlet d2 in the bottom, it being understood that the inlet and outletconduits and the drain are controlled by suitable valves as in Fig. l.Formed in the upper part of the casing 36 is a nozzle housing '43 whichextends transversely of the-casing and is provided with a relativelywide flaring opening :45 inwardly of the casing. An axial taperedopening M is p-I=O vided in the housing 43 in which is fitted, j-W-ith aleak tight lit, a nozzle body '46.. The nozzle body 46 has anelongatedopening 41 therein extending across the casing substantially the .fulllength of the housing and is held in lead: tight engagement with theopening 44 by a spring :43v

which surrounds the protruding end of the :body 46 and bears against thehousing 144, and" .a handle Ml secured to the outer .end of the nozzlebody. The :nozzle :body :46 is supplied with a suitable cleaning fluidthrough a conduit .5! which is controlled in-the same manner :as shownin connection with the supply .conduit 2'3 of Fig. 1. With themodification shown in Figs. ,6 to 9 it will be seen that the singlenozzle opening ill is adapted to direct cleaning fluid at variousanglesinto the interior of the pump casing and against the impeller blades 38,the handle :48 being utilized to :vary the angle of direction :01 thecleaning fluid.

Ind lig. 10 .I 'ShOlW :a still further modified form of :my inventioninwhich the upper part-of the pump casing 52 is provided with a housing53 having a hemispherical seat 54, closed by a cap 56 having acomplementary hemispherical seat 51. The housing 53 is provided with arelatively wide inward opening 55. Mounted in the housing 53 is aspherical nozzle body 58 having an opening 59 therein directed inwardlythrough the opening 55. The cap 56 is provided with a relatively wideopening 6| through which the outer end 62 of the nozzle body 58protrudes whereby it may be manipulated to direct a cleaning fluidinwardly of the casing at various angles. Connected to the outer end 52of the nozzle is a flexible conduit 63 through which a cleaning fluidmay be supplied.

pump, the valves 13 and I4 are closed'to shut off the inlet anddischarge conduits of the pump, and the drain valve I1 is opened. Thepower by which the pump is operated may be shut off entirely and thepump impeller turned over by hand or else operated by power very slowly,depending on the construction of the pump, the type of power employed,and the cleaning need. Draining the pump permits the cleaning fluid tobe supplied through the cleaning jets or nozzles at a high velocity toimpinge upon the adhering deposits on the impeller blades and otherparts of the interior of the pump without being forced through liquidwhich might otherwise sub rnerge the parts to be cleaned. It iscontemplated that when the pump has been properly drained and is beingturned over slowly, a clean ing fluid at sufiiciently high pressure isprovided to afford a cutting jet against the parts to be cleaned. Ifwater is used as the cleaning fluid, a pressure of from pounds persquare inch upwards is preferred.

The introduction of the cleaning fluid at various angles, as by thedevices shown in Figs. 6 to 9 and the slow motion'of the pump impellerpermits the cleaning jets to traverse a wider area than could be donewith stationary jets unless an excessively large number of stationaryjets be employed. The movable, or adjustable cleaning jets permit thewashing and solvent action of the cleaning fluid to be supple mented bythe cutting and securing action of the high velocity jets which areadapted to cover large areas with direct impingement of the cleaningstream. As the cleaning fluid is introduced into the pump casing, itfalls to the bottom and is drained out through the drain conduit H5;

For this purpose, the drain should be of sufflcient capacity to removepromptly the cleaning fiuid discharged into the casing.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have devised an improvedflushing means for centrifugal pumps andthe like which is simple andeconomical of design and which is effective to clean the interior ofsuch a pump of adhering deposits, without the necessity of dismantlingthe pump.

While I have shown my invention in several forms, it will be obvious tothose skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptibleof various other changes and modifications, without departing from thespirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitationsshall be placed thereupon as are specifically set 'fort-l-i of thecharacter described having an impeller with a plurality of bladesmounted therein, nozzle means mounted in the casing for directing acleaning fluid toward the faces of the impeller blades to removeadhering accumulations of material therefrom, valve means for closingoff the admission of other fluid into the casing while said nozzle meansare being employed, means to drain the casing, and means to adjust theangle of direction of the nozzle means with respect to the casing.

2. In a centrifugal pump having a volute casing and an impeller with aplurality of blades mounted in the casing, a nozzle mounted in the wallof the casingopposite the tips of the blades and directed radiallyinwards for discharging a cleaning fluid against the faces of theblades, means to vary the angle of discharge of the cleaning fluid withrespect to the casing, and means to close off the admission of-otherfluid into the casing while said nozzle is being employed.

3., In a centrifugal pump having a volute casing and an impeller with aplurality of blades mounted in the casing, a nozzle comprising a hollowbody mounted in the periphery of the casing and extending axially acrossopposite the tips of the impeller blades and having a discharge openinginwardly of the casing toward the impeller blades, means to adjust theposition of the discharge opening angularly with respect to the casing,means to supply a cleaning fluid under pressure to the nozzle body, andmeans to drain the casing of the fluid.

4. In combination with the casing of a pump of the character describedhaving an impeller with a plurality of blades mounted therein, a

nozzle mounted in the periphery of the casing and directed inwardlythereof, means to vary the angle of direction of the nozzle, means tosupply a cleaning fluid t the nozzle under pressure sufficient todischarge a cutting stream against the interior surfaces of the pump, aninlet conduit and a discharge conduit connected to said casing,- valvesin both of said conduits to close I off communication with the interiorof the pump,

and drain means in the bottom of said casing.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 in which a housing for the nozzle isformed in the upper part of the periphery of the casing and extendsaxially across the casing, said housing having a relatively wide lateralopening into the casin and an axial tapered opening therein extendingacross the casing, a nozzle body fitting into the tapered opening andhaving a discharge slot directed inwardly of the casing through thelateral opening of the housing, and a handle on the end of the nozzlebody to vary its angle of discharge into the casing.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 in which a housing for the nozzle isformed in the upper part of the periphery of said casing, ahemispherical seat in the housing opening inwardly of the casing, aspherical body for the nozzle fitting into the hemispherical seat andhaving a discharge opening directed inwardly of the easing, a cap forthe housing having a hemispherical seat fitting over the nozzle body andhaving a relatively wide opening outwards, and adjustin means for thebody extending outwardly through said last mentioned opening.

JAMES C. WHITE.

